Fond farewell for Lara
published: Sunday | April 22, 2007
Retiring West Indies captain Brian Lara acknowledges the crowd as he leaves the pitch after his dismissal during the final Cricket World Cup Super Eight match against England in Bridgetown, Barbados, yesterday. Lara was run out for 18 in the batting great's last-ever international match. - Reuters
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (Reuters):
Brian Lara's farewell to international cricket was spoilt by a run-out and a thrilling one-wicket defeat by England in the final World Cup Super Eight match on Saturday. Kevin Pietersen's superb 100 helped England to their target of 301 with one ball to spare after out-of-form Michael Vaughan (79) scored his first 50 of the campaign.
Although both struggling sides were out of contention for the semi-finals, Lara's retirement and England coach Duncan Fletcher's imminent departure gave an enthralling match some extra significance.
England needed 47 runs off the last five overs and a gutsy 38 from wicketkeeper Paul Nixon took them within range before Stuart Broad hit the winning runs off the penultimate delivery.
Lara's disappointment at the defeat was compounded by his own innings - he only managed to make 18 before he was run out following a mix-up with Marlon Samuels in his final knock. Lara refused to blame Samuels for the call which led to his run-out for just 18 in his final innings.
He said: "These things happen. As any schoolboy knows, if the ball goes behind you, you run. I'm ready to move on".
While Lara, who holds the record for the top test score (400 not out) and highest first class knock (501 not out), ended his reign as captain with another loss, the match produced just the kind of entertaining cricket the 37-year-old values so highly.
Good game
Lara told the crowd: "I've had a tremendous time playing for the West Indies. All I ask is, did I entertain? If I entertained you, I'm happy." Commenting on the Windies loss he said: "Things didn't work out as planned, but still it was a very good game of cricket, it was a fitting way to end my career, runs galore, with over 600 scored in the day." He then did a lap of honour around the field, shaking hands with hundreds of fans.
Lara's announcement on Thursday that he was retiring from all forms of international cricket transformed the match into an emotional farewell.
Coming in at his old position of number three, Lara received a massive standing ovation and was given a guard of honour by England as he came to the crease. Even England supporters in the crowd would surely have been willing to Lara to show some of his array of strokesbut a big innings was not to be and he left the pitch after just 39 minutes holding his bat aloft before his own team gave him another salute.
